The Graduate

Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager Terry Butcher has added another prestigious string to his bow.  Mr Butcher was rewarded for his dedication to sport at Southampton Solent University.  He has been a regular guest lecturer on Solent’s applied sport science courses, and was amongst 2000 students at Southampton Guildhall celebrating their graduation.  Terry has been awarded an honorary degree as a doctor of sport.

Terence Ian Butcher won 77 caps for England and also captained his country, although born in Singapore.  He is known worldwide for his blood drenched image when sustaining a serious head injury during an international match, he returned to the game complete with mummified head bandages and blood drenched England shirt.  This epitomised his battling qualities and never say die attitude.  Doc Butcher has been an inspiration to many an athlete and he has put as much back into sport as he has taken out.  Since hanging up his boots, he has gone on to manage clubs across the United Kingdom, and a short spell down under.  As well as managing Inverness Caledonian Thistle, he is well known for his footballing summaries during live TV and radio commentaries, and has been a studio guest on many occasions.  Not short of a few words Terry seems to have put this ability to good use with his lecturing at Solent University.  He obviously honed this skill in the run in to the first division title with his Monty Pythonesque sermon from the main stand at Somerset Park, just a taste of what was to come.  He knows how to milk a crowd, but he also knows how to control the masses, his timing is impeccable and his delivery is second to none.  He is always upbeat during interviews and worth listening to, and this award is recognition for the amount of work he puts in for his sport.

From all at CTO, congratulations Doc Butcher.  You have taken ICT to a new level and once more raised the profile of this club by your actions.

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Former Saints legends Matt Le Tissier, Mick Channon, Terry Paine and Lawrie McMenemy are previous recipients of the award so Doc Butcher is in good company.  Other celenrities to have been honoured by Southampton Solent University are Australian cricketer Shane Warne; would he have been a spin doctor?  Busty gardener Charlie Dimmock was honoured in 2009 and former breakfast presenter Fiona Phillips has also been recognized.